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There are many pure souls, but not all are human; some are wild animals.

‘Wild animal’ is a term which is used to refer to those animals that cannot be domesticated because of their dangerous traits. Mankind depends largely on wild animals for products, clothes, medicine, etc.

They are a part of our environment, and they make an addition to the beauty and balance of nature. Hence, the preservation of wildlife is critical.

Two of the most popular wild animals are Lion and Tiger, the former is the king of the forest, and the latter is the national animal of four countries, including India.

Key Takeaways

  1. Lions are large cats native to Africa and a small region in India. They are known for their social behavior, living in pride groups, and characterized by their tawny fur and males’ distinctive manes.
  2. Tigers are the largest species of big cats, native to Asia, known for their solitary behavior and distinctive orange fur with black stripes.
  3. Both lions and tigers are apex predators in their respective habitats, but they differ in size, appearance, behavior, and geographic distribution.

Lion vs Tiger

Lion is a wild animal and a large cat of the genus Panthera; it is native to Africa and India and is characterized by pale yellow skin, round ears, a broad-chested body, and a hairy tuft at the tail. Tiger is a wild cat that is recognizable for its white underside and dark black stripes on the orange fur.

Lion vs Tiger

 

Comparison Table

Parameter of ComparisonLionTiger
CrownA lion is the king of the forestTiger is the national animal of four countries, including India
BehaviourCompetitiveGenerally amicable
AppearanceLions are less muscular than tigers, with no stripes on their body.Tigers are more muscular and robust than lions, with black vertical stripes all over their body.
HeightLions are taller than tigersTigers are more miniature than lions
Living habitLions live in groupsTigers live alone
SpeedLions are slower than tigersTigers are faster than lions

 

What is Lion?

The Lion, the king of the forest, also a symbol of power and royalty, is a wild animal with pale yellow skin, a short rounded head, round ears, hairy tuft, and a deep-chested muscular body.

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Lions exist in three different colours: white, pale yellow, ochre, deep orange-brown, and ash brown. The scientific name of a lion is Panthera Leo.

Lions prefer open scrub forests and mixed thorny deciduous forests to live in. The place’s temperature should not exceed 45°C in summer and should not go below 5°C in winter.

The total life span of a lion is 10-14 years. The record-making life span of the oldest lion was found to be 29 years.

Different types of lions are found in various regions. They are Katanga Lion, Congo Lion, Transvaal Lion, Barbary Lion, Nubian Lion, Asiatic Lion, and West African Lion.

A lion’s roar is so thunderous that it can be heard from eight kilometres away.

Lions are considered one of the laziest animals, sleeping 16-20 hours daily. Lions feed on grazing animals like Antelope, Zebras, Crocodiles, Baby Hippos, and Elephants.

The largest population of lions is found in India, consisting of around 2,400 in total.

Lion
 

What is Tiger?

A tiger is a wild animal with a muscular body, robust forelimbs, yellow irises, and stout teeth wearing the crown of the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and South Korea.

It is identified by its orange-brown fur having dark vertical stripes on it. Tigers exist in three colours – golden, white, and stripless snow white.

The scientific name of a tiger is Panthera Tigris. Tigers can live in all types of forests, be they dry and moist deciduous, thorny, or evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

The life span of a tiger is between 10-15 years. The record-making life span of the oldest tiger was found to be 26 years.

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Different types of tigers exist in various world regions, namely the Bengal Tiger, Caspian Tiger, Siberian Tiger, South China Tiger, Indochinese Tiger, Malayan Tiger, Javan Tiger, Bali Tiger, and Sumatran Tiger.

The Bengal and Siberian tigers are the tallest. They are also the heaviest ones weighing more than 300 kg (660 lb). Male and female tigers differ in almost all aspects, from appearance to behaviour.

Tiger is carnivorous. It eats medium-sized and large mammals. Also, it appears at the top of the food chain.

Baby tiger, known as a club, stays with the mother for about two years before becoming self-sufficient. The largest population of tigers is currently in India.

Tiger

Main Differences Between Lion and Tiger

  1. Lions have pale-yellow fur skin, whereas tigers have orange-brown skin fur with black vertical stripes all over the body.
  2. In terms of physical strength, tigers are much stronger than lions.
  3. Lions are very competitive, while tigers are friendly.
  4. If the speed is compared, tigers are faster than lions.
  5. Lions live in groups, but tigers prefer being alone.
  6. Tigers are much more active than lions.
  7. Lions hunt in the daytime, whereas tigers hunt at night.
  8. Lion nurses the baby lion for 10-12 months, while the tiger nurses the baby tiger for 18-24 months.
Difference Between Lion and Tiger

References
  1. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/398939
  2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20078498
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By Piyush Yadav

Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.